Cricket World Cup 2019: runners and riders for the title

The Cricket World Cup is one of the greatest sporting events for fans of the game – and with it being held this year in Britain from May 20th onwards, the excitement really is palpable. The winners of the last tournament in 2015, Australia, are now on five victories. India has won the tournament twice – and some are suggesting that this year could be the year of a third big win. But who else is in the running, and who might clinch the title?

England

Starting with the hosts – on present form it’s clear that England have a chance of taking the title. With the games being played on British soil the England team will have the advantage of the temperate climate they’re used to and the pitch surfaces they are used to playing on. Team statistics also reveal some positive news for the England squad: out of all the teams in the contest, England is the only one with four batsmen in the ICC’s top 20 (including Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root and more). It would be something of a turn up for the books if England did win, as they’ve never actually clinched the title – although they have been runners-up three times.

Australia

As usual, reigning champions Australia are in with a strong chance of taking the title. There’s a new format to this year’s tournament: teams will now compete in a 10-team group stage system whereby every nation gets to play against every other. This is likely to give Australia some confidence, as they have recently come out against both Pakistan and India under the rubric of this format. But the bookmakers don’t appear to agree, with the Ozzie side given odds of just 4/1 to win compared to England’s top odds of 5/2.

India

India Cricket World Cup Squad

The latest Cricket WC India 2019 News shows that the national team currently sits at number two in the world cricket team rankings, meaning they have a decent enough starting position at the international games. And last time, they got all the way to the semis. With a run of recent one-day international victories against teams like New Zealand behind them, it’s easy to see how they may feel full of confidence at the games.

Sri Lanka

It’s also worth exploring some of the candidates who aren’t dominating the odds. Sri Lanka, for example, currently has odds of 50/1 – and while that’s not great, it’s not the worst odds on offer either. However, the statistics are this time far from being in the team’s favour: none of their batsmen enjoy a place in that crucial ICC top 30, and there’s a real worry that this could hold them back.

It’s not possible, of course, to see into the future and know who will grab the title of this Cricket World Cup. But it’s certainly possible to explore who the runners and riders might be – and from Sri Lanka to England, there are plenty of teams who are in with a chance of taking the cup home after the final on the 14th of July.